"Oh hey, Robbie!" The peppy voice of one Cat Valentine calls out to you. You turn swiftly around on the outdoor lunch table, not caring that Rex has nearly spilt your soy milk because she has always managed to make your day brighter. She is worth a stain or two. You smile as she bounces over to you, her Red Velvet colored hair flying forward as she falls onto the seat beside you with a thump disproportionate to her small size. She immediately tucks the wayward strands back in place and you think not for the first time how truly beautiful she is. And not cute like Tori or hot like Trina, but something you can't help defining as pure.
"Hey Cat, what's up?" You manage to ask without squeaking, and you pride yourself on these little victories. From his seat on the table beside your remaining salad, Rex buts in with, "Yeah, and where's all your Sky Store chizz?" Your normal voice returns. "Oh, good point, why aren't you carrying some new purchase to show off?" Her beaming face falls into a pout. You feel the inexplicable urge to fix whatever got her down.
"Lane decided my Sky Store days were over for good once he found out I tried to steal Sinjin's credit card. He had me blacklisted! They won't deliver to me anymore, not even at home! And I realized there was no point buying things if you couldn't have them afterwards, so I guess I'll have to live with it." You are now praising the guidance counselor's determination in your head. Though you'd been desperate for stories on Robbarazzi, you had pushed back releasing the details of Cat's shopping addiction. The real reason why is something you won't even admit to yourself. But nonetheless, you are glad this phase of hers has reached it's end.
"What about you, how's Bite it coming?" She jumps back in with her usual enthusiasm. You grimace.
"Not great, the hits are way down now the biggest story is Eggplant Parmesan."
"But at least you're still on the web!" Cat interjects with a comforting hand on your shoulder, always one to stay positive. You admire this about her. You admire a lot about her. You grin and nod, feeling unaccountably awkward from the things you've never said. The impulse to have Rex blurt something out is strong, but you push it down; the quiet moment is nice and you know he would only break it. She glances at her watch and gasps. You can tell it's a genuine forgetting of the time because a) Cat is too nice to ever try and bail on you with that cheap trick, and b) because the area around her eyes pinch in that way that means she's distressed.
"Nuggets!" You have no idea why she decided on that substitute for profanity, but it seems fitting that she would. "I've gotta meet Mr. Sikowitz in five minutes! I hope he doesn't throw anything... that was scary..." She's drifting off again so you poke her in the side, making her giggle and come back to the present. She stands and picks up her back. "Well, I've gotta run, I'll catch up with you later Robbie!" The unexpected happens: Cat leans down and plants a soft kiss on the very top of your head. You can't think of anything to say. Even Rex is speechless. She giggles lightly again. "Tee hee, it tickles."
Yeah, you think as she prances away, like little butterflies.